Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-17
THE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS.
A C0maAiteee Of q Cttfzens' Associative
Makes q Report ON the Subject.

n ~ CukHZ0Oo1 ANDOGI881Oo
Makes q Report ON the Subject.
Industrial training in the public schools was
the topic OF discussion at special meeting Of
Citizens Association, No. s. held last evening In
the chapel OF the Lutheran church. Mr.. 2. Rich
ards the chairman Of the committee on schools,
presented o report on this sub Ject upon which
the discussion was based. The rep ort Of the COM
mittee expressed sympathy "wtth every reason
able and well-diricted effort to ingraft the right
kind Of Industrial training upon our system OF
public schools" and said: 1--WE only wish
70 be sure that the real interests and de-
mands OF the people who supply the means
are secured" The committee then, after dis
cussing the advantages OF Industrial education,
gives an account OF visits of inspection to the
manual training schools and cooking schools now
In operation In connection with the public schools
The committee expressed itself as confident that
the expenses Of these schools would greatly exceed
the appropriation OF 5000. II is calculated that
each pupil win have only forty or fifty hours in
OF the schools can enjoy any advantages OF the
school, No one, the report says, will presume to
claim that such small amount OF training viii
serve TO make either properly trained carpenters
or cooks, and the question Is asked whether 1t
yields the real advantages that the int igent ad
and whether the small advantages justify the
expenditure OF such sums OF money. At present
only the two highest grades receive instruction,
and only small portion OF these II Is cOntended,
too, that not only three or four, but all the COM
mon empoyments OF Life, should be so taught in an
elementary manner that the children may become
acquainted with the elements and the language
OF them. The educational part OF Industrial train
Ing need not require expensive apparatus and ma
this kind OF teaching our common normal schools
should have an industrial department for model
framing In connection with model kindergarten.
When IL becomes necessary for any OF our youth
10 receive special for completing any OF
tine trades as q preparation for mere life
employment, then comes the necessity for regular
trade schOola The report urges that the money
appropriated should be SO used as to give the
dement, OF Industrial training to the largest num-
Der possible, and that the training should embrace
as many employments as possible. There Is one
single industry" says the report, (which should
especially be introduced into all our girls schools.
work but not OrnamentaD, including the cutting
and making OF new garments, and the repairing OF
the girls for there are thousands OF young men to
whom 1t would prove God send" The committee
has found no training OF this kind In our schools
need it. awe believe" the report says. ut is
vastly more necessary and more useful than the
copying cop, OF recipes and the cooking Of dough-
proper efforts In this city and elsewhere
Of training In our pubic schools staO1
that, In the opinion Of the association "the ad-
vantages OF such training as an educational
rather than by few, declaring that the elements
ana the language OF all the common emplOymentS
should be made as familiar as possible TO all our
youth, and requesting the Committee OF One Hun
dred TO use their influence to induce Congress and
the District Commissioners to make a larger
f Spd the Of providing the
our youth"
DISCUSSING THE NATTER
At the suggestion OF Mr.. j. Ormond Wilson, Prof.
Mitchell, OF Howard University, was invited to
make some remarks He said that he agreed in
the main with the suggestions OF the report but
he thought that great deal that had been said
and written on the subject Of Industrial education
was too theoretical. He thought that the old ap-
prentice idea was the true one, that taught the
boys and girls 10 face the world and earn their
Mr.. z. Richards said that in arranging a course
for instruction in the public schools II would not
De proper 10 conne the object entirely to teaching
the children trade. .
Mr.. j. OrmOnd Wilson agreed with the recon-
mendaton or the report that Industrial training
the public schools should be that which could be
general and applicable TO all grades OF scholars.
He was OF the opinion that the teaching In
working In iron and the teaching OF cooking In the
public schools would practically amount 10 MOTH
by sitting down and taking notes on the method
OF making 1ar1na pudding. He thought that you
might as well send boy 70 the bank OF the river
10 learn swimming by taking notes. He thought
that II 1t was proper TO use public funds In teacn
Ing 900 pupils German, 200 pupils Latin, and 100
pupils Greek, IT would also he right to take the
pubic funds 10 teach 100 girls TO cook.
Mr.. Clancy referred To The portion OF the report
giving an estimate OF the cost or starting the in
UuoIIldl system InuS lar In connection With the
public schools, and said that the plant in every
new undertaking was costly, and the best way 10
measure the Value OF such an enterprise was to
gauge the results.
MI Richards, in reply to some Of the speakers
said that he believed In teaching cookery In the
schools. He believed in giving elementary train
Ing In all The walks OF lire.
Mr.. J. o. wilson said that he acknowledged the
Importance OF cooking, but he thought That it
would be impossible TO give thousand girls or so
In the various grammar schools In this city prac-
tlcal learning in cooking. 1t would cost too much
10 provide the Kitchens, &C. He was opposed to
teaching fancy cooking.
Rev. Dr. Craghead was Of the opinion that the
great majority OF girls In the pubic schools, in
stead OF overseeing cook, as had been suggested
would have to do the cooking themselves He
spoke OF the inemcienu and useless boys and girls
that the public school system produced, and said
tnat In his opinion Industrial training was the
practical side OF this question.
Mr.. A. 8. Pratt spoke in favor OF the tndustr rial
Training OF all the children, and said that those
intending to be servants needed training as much
as those who would be mistresses.
The report and the resolutions were adoptpd
and the meeting adjourned.